Deciding to Write
The decision to write to your loved one’s recipients is a personal choice. Some donor families find writing to recipients about their loved one to be helpful in their grieving process. It is your choice whether you wish to correspond with a transplant recipient.
Where to Start
Write what you feel comfortable sharing about your loved one and other family members. This may include marital status, children, occupation, or hobbies and interests your loved one enjoyed. You may want to consider keeping your identity confidential in the first letter. However, if you choose to include your personal contact information, we will forward it along to the recipient’s transplant center.
Hearing Back From Recipients
Once we receive your letter, we will forward the letter to the recipient transplant center(s). From there the transplant coordinators forward the letters to the recipients. This process may take several weeks. While you may wish to write to a recipient, it is also a personal choice whether the recipient chooses to write back. Some recipients find it very difficult to express their gratitude in words while others want to be further along in their recovery before expressing their gratitude through written communication. It is possible that several months or even years could pass before they are comfortable writing. We have found that most recipients find comfort in hearing from their donor family first. When the donor family writes first, it indicates they are open to receiving correspondence.
For More Information
If you have any questions or concerns about the information outlined in this flyer, you may contact the Lifesharing Family Services Department at 619-543-7225 or by email at [email protected].
